Mission

It sounds like the problem is occurring before they get to the pop-up. I am not having that problem, even when I am logged into my FB account, so I don't understand why people are seeing it differently. We really need Stynky in on this one. (Although Jeff is right - you should add the Pub to your exceptions list. You're not going to get pop-up ads here, you're only going to miss things.)

Done.

This is just a guess, but do you prohibit pop-up windows? When I log in with my laptop, a new window pops-up for this purpose. There are several functions that use pop-up windows since the last upgrade.

Keep in mind that most ships carried cannon before, during and after the Golden Age and the majority of them were not pirates. So without further information, the odds are most likely against that cannon coming from a pirate ship. (The odds of a group of kids seeing a cannon and deciding it must have come from a pirate ship, OTOH, are pretty high. I know that's what I thought of the cannons I saw in a fort was I was a lad.)

The Surgeon's Journal for the September Santa Maria Talk Like a Pirate Day Weekend is complete! It presents the surgeon's mate, Brain G., along with stuff about battles, squirrels, Dr. Suess, pretenders to the surgeon's throne, battles, lots and lots of cool presentations, battles and the same sort of junk you usually get in a Surgeon's Journal. So you'll want to read that and then complain in this post or on the Surgeon's Facebook Page. You can access the Sept 2011 Santa Maria Surgeon's Journal via this hotlink.

All the surviving stuff seems to be much later, and there's very little textual evidence for what might be called "sailors' art" from the GAoP, so it's quite possible that that particular pastime was a later fad. Agreed that they must have done something to stave off the boredom, but not necessarily knotwork or scrimshaw. The quotation above shows how many pirates staved off boredom, and there are plenty of other similar accounts. I think part of our problem with this one is that we don't have a lot of descriptive first person accounts from GAoP pirates. Some of the ones I've seen are from victims of piracy. Such people would probably be less focused on minutia than on signs of threatening behavior and so forth.

Bookfinder is your friend when it comes to odd books like that one. (Hope you can read French.)

No, I know Atkins' book contains period examples. That's why I read it and entered it into my notes. Most of the books I've read talk about things that happened years before they were published. (This means eye-witness accounts in Woodall's book are essentially about things that happened around 1600-1615, which is actually quite far out of period. Yet his is the book every pirate/sea surgeon re-enactor seems to want to have and use as a reference.) My interest in period trials for my research would be regarding the disposition of the sea surgeons and little else. I reprint non-surgical things here that I find interesting for those who enjoy such, but when you come right down to it, recollection of recent events is pretty bad, let alone what recall of things from years before. (Nearly every psychological study on human memory shows it to be spotty at best. If it interests you, look into the research on eyewitness testimony.) At the bottom of it, our period accounts will be colored by the author's perception, biases and desire to present a particular picture of themselves. (I have read three accounts of sea captains who have been presented with free female entertainment for the night and everyone of them has horrified by the thought of it and demurred.) As for scents, I can't recall reading anything either way about them. Of course, it's not something I looked for either.

Ok, done. I hadn't realized all the stuff you made.

Atkins was a sea surgeon, you know. His is not my favorite sea surgery book, but I like it well enough. (You know, come to think of it, none of them are the perfect sea surgeon's book. Woodall's is hard to read and a bit scattered, Moyle's doesn't always contain as much detail as I'd like and Atkin's is slightly out of period and a bit preachy at times.) I've never read a pirate trial transcript, other than what's in the General History. Maybe I'll see if I can dig that one up. So, Ed, what do you think about scents in the 17th century for seamen, pirates and so forth? Any evidence to support it as a regular behavior as opposed to a parody?

Oh, I wasn't questioning the source. I'd like to read it. It sounds like it was written by someone who reports details and I usually find those texts more interesting to read. (I've all but quit reading second-hand sources - it's not that hard to get hold of many of the original sources with a little work.)

That makes it sound like they were parodying people, not wearing the stuff because they had a taste for it. Does it give the original source of that quote in the foot or endnotes?

I also have the original, I can check. But the editor has thus far footnoted all the definitions and notes about unclear meanings from the original. The manuscript contains all the funny spellings, f's for s's, strange abbreviations (like wou'd) and so forth.

Last year they were in the building near the horses. Apparently the person with the key to that building had left the island for the weekend.

Let's use the ones we have before we start making more. There are two gibbeted skeletons I made at the fort, but neither of them got put up last year because no one got them out of the storage facility. (I'll be happy to put them up, but I need to get my hands on them!)

Here are a number of interesting things from the book The Voyages and Travels of Captain Nathaniel Uring (1928 reprint, first published in 1726) that don't really fit in another topic perfectly. First, some period words and phrases I found interesting. Bomb-Ketches - small craft carrying howitzers being a-peak of our Anchors - with the cable shortened in Boar cable - [bower cable], the best cable in the ship Factory [capitalized] - Usual term for a trading station in the 17th century. false Keel - a timber secured to the bottom of the keel to pretect it from damage. fish the Mast - To lash spars to it at a weak spot, similar to splints on a broken arm a Paper Braul - A blue and white striped cloth manufactured in India. the People - A term given to the crew in the 18th century. "Ship's company" is a 19th-century expression. Smart-Money - Money granted for a wound. Sugar-droghers - small schooners carrying sugar from the West Indies plantations to the shipping ports. Tierce - a barrel holding 42 gallons "When the Enemy [The French. Uring was pressed into service as a midshipman aboard the Eagle, a British Navy ship.] saw we had forced their Boom, most of them left their Ships and fled a-shore in their Boats, __ having first laid Trains of Gun-powder, with lighted Matches, in order to blow them up rather than they should fall into our Hands..." (Uring, p. 56-7) "Before the Privateer came up with us [uring was in charge of a Packet Boat (small ships which delivered things British colonies) in 1703. Since Packet Boats contained mail and valuable items, French privateers tried to capture them.], I had caused the Ensign to be nailed to the Staff, and that made so fast that none of my People should be able to strike it; and having all I was worth on Board, and not willing to lose it easily, being resolved not to surrender until there was not possibility of keeping her." (Uring, p. 67) "[uring is shipwrecked and residing in an English camp amongst the natives off the coast of Honduras in 1711] The manner of their Lodging is thus: They fix several Crutches in the Ground about Four Foot high, and lay Sticks cross, and other Sticks cross them close together; and upon those Sticks they lay a good Quantity of Leaves, and upon them a Piece of old Canvas if they have it; and this is their Bed. There is also at each Corner of the Bed-Place, a tall Pole fixed, to which they fasten their Covering, which is generally made of Ozinbrigs [Footnote 1: A form of 'onsaburg,' a kind of coarse linen named from Onsabruck.]; it is sewed together, and fastened at each Corner to these Poles about Four Foot above the Bed-Place, and is so contriv'd that it falls down on every Side, which tucks close in all round, and serves not only for Curtains, but also keep the Flies from disturbing them. This was the first Contrivance I saw of this sort, and are called by these People Pavilions; nor are there hardly any living without them." (Uring p. 124-5) "[uring is again off the coast of Honduras, shipwrecked.] These Considerations put me upon drawing a Draught of those Coasts, which will be very useful to Masters of Ships that may, by Accident, be drove into those Seas, or Trade thither, and are unacquainted therewith. Having advised with my Padrone [the man he was staying with while shipwrecked] about it, he encouraged me, and said, he would give me an exact Account of that Part which I had not seen, and supply'd me with Paper for that Purpose. In order to draw the said Draught, I made a wooden pair of Compasses, and a Scale; my Ink was made with Gun-powder, and my Pens with the Feathers of wild Fowl; with these Utensils, I drew the Draught of the Bay of Honduras, describing all the Islands therein, and the Coast of the Muschetos, which, with some Alteration I have made since, is a pretty good one, and is hereunto annexed. [i could not find this map in the book I have, in the original manuscript or on-line. I did find Uring's map of St. Lucia on-line.] The prick'd Line shews the Course of my Travels, both in the Canow and on the Land from the Time I was cast away, to my embarking for Jamaica." "It may not be improper to relate the Manner of a Round Robin. [This is a way to institute mutiny among the crew.] They take a large Sheet of Paper, an strike two Circles, one a good Distance without the other; in the inner Circle, they write what they have a mind to have done; and between the two Circular Lines, they write their Names, in and out, against the Circles; beginning like the four Cardinal Points of a Compass, right opposite to each other, and the rest as they go on signing one opposite to the other, and so continue till the Paper is filled; which appears in a Circle, and no one can be said to be the first, so that they are all equally guilty; Which I believe to be contrived to keep 'em all firm to their Purpose, when once they have signed it; and if discovered, no one can be excused, by saying, he was the last that signed it, and he had not done it without great Persuasion." (Uring, p. 178)

“The Men have their Drinking Bouts of Palm Wine, which is the only Liquor the Country [Angola] affords besides Water; they let it stand two Days after it is taken from the Tree, in which time it ferments and grows sower, and has some Spirit in it, which exhilarates them and makes them merry; they’ll set at these drinking Bouts twelve Hours together till they get drunk. I have tasted it, but found it disagreeable; but when it is first taken from the Tree it has a very pleasant Taste, and I have drank great Quantities of it without perceiving it had any other Effect than quenching my Thirst, though some Travellers affirm that it will make People drunk. This Wine, which the Natives call Malaso, is the Sap of the Palm Tree, and is taken from it thus: They make several small Holes in the upper Part of the Tree, a little below the Head where it branches out, and put in a Reed and fasten it to a Calabash, which is made almost like a Bottle, and it the Shell of a Fruit which receives the Liquor.” (The Voyages and Travels of Captain Nathaniel Uring, 1928 reprint, first published in 1726, p. 42)

From the book The Voyages and Travels of Captain Nathaniel Uring (1928 reprint, first published in 1726), while on-board the Martha in 1701. "On our Arrival near the Coast of Guinea we sounded, and found our selves upon the Shoales of Grandee, in fourteen Fathom Water, which obliged us to stand off to the Sea; and the next Day I saw a large broad Fish, at least four Foot over, and a proportionable Length, much like a Scate, but a longer Tail, with some little Difference; they are commonly called amongst the Seamen Devil Fish. I struck it with a Fish-gigg [Footnote 1: A small harpoon or staff with three or more prongs and a line, used for striking at large fish.] in the Middle of the Back from the Round-House and the Line of the Fish-gigg being made fast to the Deep __ Sea Line, I was in hopes to have caught it, but the Fish being very large and strong, swam away very swiftly, with the Gigg standing upright in his Back; and the Line hitching about my Foot had like to have pulled me over-board, and had not the Knot luckily slipp'd where the Line was fastn'd, I should have been in great Danger [uring couldn't swim], but I came off only with the Loss of my Slipper. The Loss of our Fish-gigg was a very great Misfortune to us, having no more on Board, and therefore could strike no more Fish, by which Means we lost many a good Meal during our Voyage." (Uring, p. 22-3)

It's been over a year, I guess feel like updating this. For several months I used this to go with the title Stynky gave me (Disgruntled Panda Face - a dumb inside joke that hasn't gotten any better with age): Then, for quite a long time, I used Stitch as a Pirate as my avatar: For about a day, I had Sheldon: But that seemed stupid and not piratey, so I switched it to Captain Drago and Sheego for about an hour: But I didn't like that photo, so I switched it again to one I liked better: I eventually got bored of that, plus it was too complicated for the tiny space provided, so I adopted the eye-patch wearing ape from the horrendous Japanese rip-off film Time of the Apes: Then I decided to use Shawn from Psych during the episode where he was pretending to be a civil war re-enactor: And I have just lately changed it to a new photo of the brain gremlin because I had to go through the whole process to write a tutorial on how to switch avatars and I liked this photo I screen-captured. (It's been years since I used him as my avatar here.) Of course, this one is not really piratey and it is also sort of complicated for the tiny space, so who knows how long I'll keep it? There, now I feel all up to date. Feel free to share the story of your avatar. :)

In his book The Voyages and Travels of Captain Nathaniel Uring (1928 reprint, first published in 1726), Captain Uring describes several recipes from "the Colonies." They're kind of neat, so I am reprinting them. “… [ I ] assisted the poor old Man in all his Plantation Business [while Uring was staying with them in 1698-9], as I did the Wife in beating Indian Corn to make Homine; which is done after this manner: They put such a Quantity of Corn in steep as they design to boil the next Day, and then take a small Quantity at a time and beat it in a wooden Mortar, which is made by hollowing a Piece of a Tree, and with a Pestle beat the Corn till it is broken into small Pieces, and the Husk separated from the Grain, which is facilitated by its being soaked in Water all Night: When they have beat the Quantity they design, they Winnow the Husk from the Grain, and put it into a Pot with some few Kidney Beans, and a sufficient Quantity of Water, with a Piece of Beef or Pork, and __ Boil it, and it is excellent hearty Food, very wholesome and well tasted, and is what most of the poorer sort of People in that Country [the Colonies] live upon. We had no Oven belonging to our Mansion; but when Bread was wanted, the good Woman used to knead the Paste made of Indian Flower, and then grease the Inside of the Frying-pan with Pork or Beef Fat, and put the Paste into it, and covering it with broad Leaves, set it into the Ashes in the Fire-hearth, where it remained a certain Time sufficient to bake it, and then take it out, and it is a very good Loaf of Bread. Another way of making Bread is, the daubing the Paste to a Board two Inches thick, and setting it before the Fire till it is baked on that Side, and setting it before the Fire till it is thoroughly baked. They have a good sort of Food that they make of the Indian Flower, which they call Mush. They boil it in the same manner we do Hasty-pudding, and eat it either with Milk or Molosses and Water.” (Uring, p. 12-3)

See this post.

Ok, the forum has undergone some changes and I keep trying to answer the question about how to post photos so I figured it was best to just create a topic for it so I can point people to this instead of repeating myself. There are 2 photo-related things people want to do: A ) Change their avatar photo and B ) Insert photos into their posts. A ) Changing Your Avatar 1. On the forum, select the down arrow (triangle) next to your name near the top right side of the screen and click on it. >> This will produce a pop-down menu. 2. From the pop-down menu, select 'My Settings' from the top of the right-hand column and click on it. >> This will change the screen to the 'General Account Settings' screen. 3. At the top of the General Account Settings Screen, you will see a blue Change Your Photo button. Click on that. >>A new pop-up window will appear titled 'Photo Editor' 4. In the Photo Editor Pop-up window will be a grey button titled 'Browse'. Click it. >> Another pop-up window titled 'File Upload' will appear. 5. In the File Upload pop-up window, navigate your computer's hard drive until you find the photo you want to use. Select it and then click on the grey "Open" button. >> The File Upload pop-up window will disappear and the picture will be uploaded to your Pyracy.com account and will appear in the Photo Editor Pop-up window. 6. If you like the photo, click the 'Done' button. The Photo Editor Pop-up window will disappear and you will have a new avatar photo. >> Note: You may need to refresh your browser to see the new avatar photo on your posts. B ) Inserting a Photo into a Post You cannot insert a photo into a post from your computer's hard drive the way you can for your Avatar. The photo must be on the internet somewhere. First you must select the image. There are two ways to do this. Of the two, 1a is much easier for those not familiar with how computer commands work. 1a. If the photo you want to insert into you post is on an another internet site, you should be able to right click on it and select 'Copy Image Location' from the pop-down list. >> This places the image's IP Address on the internet into your computer's clipboard so you can use it. (Don't worry if you don't know what an IP Address or Clipboard is. You only need to know that this is the way to get the info you need.) 1b. Alternatively, you can copy the IP Address of a photo if it is the only thing in your browser. (Note: If there is anything else in the window including text, other photos, etc. this will not work.) To copy the IP Address, use your mouse to select it from the white box near the top of your browser. Make sure to select all of it. The IP Address will begin with http://... and will end with .png or .jpg. If it does not include all these characters, the forum software will not allow you to post the image. (Note: some images end with a bunch of numbers and other junk. These will not work - it must end with .jpg or .png) Once the IP Address is selected, copy it. (To copy Right-click your mouse and select Copy from the drop-down text menu that appears.) >> This places the image's IP Address on the internet into your computer's clipboard so you can use it. 2. Once you have the IP Address copied onto your clipboard, you can insert it into a post. When you start writing a post, a whole bunch of icons appear at the top of the post inside the light blue area of the post. From the bottom row of icons, find the little square one that looks a bit like a polaroid photo containing a blue, green and orange blob. Click that. >> A pop-up window called 'Image Properties' appears. 3. In the Image Properties pop-up window is a box, where your cursor will be flashing. Put your mouse pointer in the box and right-click. >> A pop-down text menu will appear. 4. From the pop-down menu, select Paste. >> The IP address - which must start with http:// and end with .jpg or .png - should appear in the box. If nothing appears, you did not successfully copy the IP Address. Go back to step one. (But use another tab or window to do this. Leave the post you want to insert a photo into open in it's own tab or window.) 5. Click the white OK button. >>Your picture should appear in your post.

For those who want a short-cut, this gallery is here. And here is one of the photos:

Yes, that is no doubt correct. Uring's spelling is pretty typical of what I've found in other period books. Not knowing what trunneling was, I just guessed based on context. (thus the ?)

In his book The Voyages and Travels of Captain Nathaniel Uring (1928 reprint, first published in 1726), Captain Uring describes how he built a raft from the wreckage of his ship and trees found on the island he landed on, just off of Honduras in late 1719. It's kind of an interesting description so I thought I'd share it. "It may not be improper to describe the manner of making our Float [raft], which may be some Instruction to Seamen that fall under the like Misfortune. The ship's Main-Mast we placed in the middle; the Fore-Mast, Mizzen-Mast and Bowsprit, at proper Distances on each side, with the Yards lashed a-cross, fasten'd very well together with the Running Rigging; having likewise truniled [tied?] and nailed them to each other with long Nails, to prevent the Floats from separating, if by ill Fortune we should have been forced on any Shoals of Rocks that might have cut our Lashings to Pieces; on the middle of the Raft, in the Main-Mast we fixed the Mizen-Top-Mast, supporting it with Shrouds, and had the Mizen-Top-Sail for a Main-Sail; and forward we set the Boat's Main Mast, on which we hoisted the Sail which made a Fore-Sail, in the Spaces between the Masts and Yards, we placed our Cask of Rum and wet Provisions, which were securely lashed to them, and served for Ballast; on each side the Cask, __ fore and aft, we nailed three Breadths of Plank, which was not only convenient to step upon, but made the Float more boyant. In the After-part of the Main-Mast we fixed a Crutch, and provided a long Oar to steer her; we put a good deal of Lumber on the After-part of the Float; laying over it some slit Deal [planks of softwood timber, such as pine], which served as a Quarter-Deck, upon which we placed a Fire Hearth to dress our Provisions, where the People1 carried most of their Chests and Cloaths. We also fastened Bamboe Trees fore and aft, which served as Rails to prevent the Mens falling over-board. My People were now no longer afraid to go on the Float; which being finished, and taking such other Things into the Long-Boat as it could not carry, leaving on the Island laying five Hens and a Cock to breed, we set forward in the Afternoon, and by Night reached the next island..." (Uring, p. 239-40) 1 From Footnote 2 on p. 20: "A term given to the crew in the 18th century. "Ships company" is a 19th century expression.